Coming Soon: Jones Soda does Sparking Water

In recent years, Jones Soda has paired down their product offerings as they looked to return to profitability. Thus we’ve seen product lines like Jones Naturals, Jones GABA, Jones Organics, and 24C discarded, while welcoming back WhoopAss Energy Drink as well as a move to 16 oz cans for the convenience store market. It’s time to add sparking water to the product mix as Jones is launching their Au Naturel product line.

The new line will use natural sweeteners, notably cane sugar, stevia, and agave syrup, which will help keep the calorie count down to about 35 calories per 16.9 oz. bottle. The carbonated water will also be slightly caffeinated via green tea.

I can’t say I’m too excited about the packaging, as it looks rather bland. Still, it does include Jones’ iconic use of photography as well as their notable style. The product line will start with 3 flavors: Green Apple A Day, Orange Ya Glad Its Mango, and Lemon Limelight.

This new line of waters is “rolling out now,” per Jones. We’ll be interested in trying them when they show up!

SEATTLE, WA (Marketwire – Mar 15, 2012) – Jones Soda Co., a leader in the premium beverage category and known for its unique branding, has unveiled a brand new product line: Au Naturel sparkling. The concept behind the new offerings is to strip down to the bare essentials of what a sparkling beverage is, containing only crisp carbonated water, all natural sweeteners and flavor essence.

Jones developed Au Naturel as the first sparkling beverage to meet a challenge positioned at the beverage industry to create a new class of more healthful beverages. The new product line provides an alternative to traditional sodas, but without sacrificing flavor or that satisfying fizz. The product ingredients are simple and all natural, primarily limited to carbonated water, natural sweeteners — including organic agave syrup, stevia and pure cane sugar — and green tea extracts with a small dose of natural caffeine for a flavorful pick-me-up. Each 16.9-ounce bottle contains just 35 calories, which is an 80% reduction compared to most non-diet sodas, has only seven grams of sugar and includes a full five grams of fiber.

“A few years back, The Harvard School of Public Health issued a call to beverage manufacturers to create a new class of beverages with very specific calorie and sugar architectures. We took that seriously and wanted to be the first to meet it in a sparkling format, and we then upped the ante by making it all natural,” said Bill Meissner, CEO of Jones Soda. “For our fans who may have outgrown full calorie sodas, and for the many consumers seeking natural, low calorie options, we’ve created something truly unique and exciting with fewer calories and less sugar, and are delivering it in the true Jones style people love.”

With this move, Jones expands its retail presence with a product designed to compete in a category that is growing and has more shelf space dedicated to it than premium soda. Jones grocery penetration has expanded dramatically in the last two years on its iconic premium soda in 12-ounce glass bottles. Au Naturel will typically be merchandised with the all natural products, or in the sparkling water section of the store.

The Au Naturel line includes three initial natural flavors with playful Jones’ names — Green Apple A Day, Lemon Limelight and Orange Ya Glad Its Mango. Reflecting the company’s iconic packaging, Au Naturel is contained in 16.9-ounce see through plastic bottles boasting a traditional Jones label with black and white images that are crowd-sourced from Jones’ fans. The bottles are also textured to simulate the fizzing bubbles and are 100% recyclable.

Au Naturel joins Jones’ other core product lines including Pure Cane Soda, Zilch, MyJones personalized bottles and WhoopAss energy drinks. Au Naturel has a suggested retail price of $1.79 per bottle and will be available for purchase at www.jonessoda.com, and is rolling out now to natural grocery retailers.Source